International Moth Worlds & Europeans at Lake Garda, Italy

Extreme sailing in extreme conditions sums up the 2007 International Moth World and European Championships held at Torbole on Lake Garda in late June, expertly hosted by Circolo Vela Torbole.

Sixty-three competitors from a record 14 nations competed in the ten race series over six days, all but five of the boats being fitted with hydrofoils. Ages ranged from the teenager, Sten-Mark Bachmann from Estonia who finished 45th to win the Junior title, to UK Grand Master, Colin Newman, aged 64, who finished 38th and best of the four over 55 year olds. Sami Jokinen from Finland won the prize as best non-hydrofoil boat, finishing 27th overall.

All races were held in winds rarely less than 18 knots and a good deal more at times, apart from the last day when it was a force 4. In these conditions, the Lake Garda waves became a challenge for everyone and just completing races and avoiding the dramatic, downwind, high speed pitchpole from 3 foot up in the air represented success for those in the back half of the fleet!

At the front of the fleet the Australians, who more often experience these conditions, revelled in them, especially Rohan Veal who with eight straight wins regained his World title with a day to spare. His margin of victory was huge, winning the first race by over five minutes. Australian, Scott Babbage, finished second overall. Both men were sailing the new, one-design Bladerider which emerged as the fastest design of boat in these conditions with five boats in the top nine, though the Prowler and Mistress boats suffered fewer breakages. The Bladerider is being mass produced in China under the aegis of an Australian company and future production boats will be strengthened in the light of experience at this event.

2006 World Champion, Si Payne had a psychological mountain to climb after day one when he lost both races after his rudder gantry sheered off, moreover till the final day it was never certain the full series would be completed to get his two discards. All racing was lost on days two and three, too much then too little wind. Nevertheless Si Payne clawed his way back to third and first Master and captured the European Champion title from fourth placed Sam Pascoe who sailed an impressive series in his Mistress, never being out of the top eight in any race and second in Race 4.

Alex Adams, also in a Mistress fell victim to a stomach bug and had to withdraw when lying seventh after five races. The stresses on boats and bodies were such that only twelve competitors did not have a DNF somewhere in their score line (often as a discard). Also with breakages losing him two races and boat problems in his final race, Graham Vials did well to finish fifth in his Bladerider after including a 3rd and four 4ths his score line.

A new ‘Moth Ashes’ Trophy, an urn containing the ashes of broken bits of boats, went to Australia as the total score of their top five sailors was less than that of the top five Brits. The International Jury had nothing to do but watch the flying display.

Overall Results: